INTRODUCTION

A. Preface
This document sets forth the policy of Kennebec Valley Community College for qualified students with legally recognized disabilities who are entitled to and who are requesting reasonable accommodations. The purpose of this document is to guide College students, faculty and staff in providing and receiving disability related services. No portion of this document is intended to expand or diminish any right or obligation imposed by law.

B. Statement of College Policy
Pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the College is committed to helping qualified students with disabilities achieve their individual educational goals. Upon request and documentation, the College provides to qualified students reasonable accommodations to remediate the competitive disadvantage that a disability can create in our collegiate setting. The goal of the College is to balance on a case-by-case basis the specific needs of its students with the programmatic integrity, administrative resources, and financial imitations of the College.

C. Example of Disabilities
Applicable law protects many, but not all, impairments that may be regarded as disabling. Disabilities protected by law include certain physical, psychological, mental, neurological, and learning disabilities. The law also protects certain cosmetic disfigurements and serious contagious and non-contagious diseases including, but not limited to, AIDS, AIDS-related complex, epilepsy, and tuberculosis.

D. Examples of Accommodations
Reasonable accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis and implemented to meet the specific needs of each student and each course, program, or activity. Such accommodations may include, for example: additional copies of handouts and supplementary materials, note-takers and interpreters, enlarged print of reading materials, exams and quizzes, printed outlines of class lectures, extended time for written assignments and exams, a separate area for testing, preferential seating arrangements in a classroom or lab, alternate delivery of course content such as video presentations, tape recordings, or overhead projections and other accommodations deemed reasonable by the College.


II. PROCEDURE FOR REQUESTING, REVIEWING, and IMPLEMENTING ACCOMMODATIONS

A. Step One: Notice, Meeting and Documentation
In addition to other requirements imposed by law, a student must:
• be admitted to or enrolled at the College;
• disclose, as soon as possible to the Coordinator of Disability Services and/or the Disability Services Coordinator for the TRIO program, the student’s reported disability and request for accommodations.

While a student is free to disclose his or her disability and request to a faculty or staff member, instructors and staff are encouraged to refer such disclosures. A student must not rely on disclosures to persons other than the Coordinator of Disability Services or the Disability Service Coordinator (TRIO Program). The student must provide timely notice; notice that does not permit the College a meaningful opportunity to review and implement an accommodation is not timely; make an appointment and meet with the Coordinator of Disability Services or the Disability Service Coordinator (TRIO Program) to discuss his/her reported disability and requested accommodations and at the initial meeting, provide current and valid documentation of the reported disability. This documentation must specify the nature of the disability, how the disability may affect the student in a college environment, and recommendations for accommodations. Examples of current and valid documentation include, but are not limited to written assessment completed within the last five years by a licensed or certified professional qualified to evaluate a learning disability; or a current written evaluation based on assessment reports from a licensed or certified professional qualified to evaluate a physical or psychiatric disability.

Currently undiagnosed, undocumented, or insufficiently documented should meet with the Coordinator of Disability Services or the Disability Service Coordinator (TRIO Program) for referral assistance.

B. Step Two: College Review of the Request for Accommodation
The Coordinator of Disability Services and/or the Disability Service Coordinator (TRIO Program) will review the disability documentations, the student’s prior disability-related services, and other pertinent information. The disability personnel may also consult confidentially with the person(s) assessing the student’s disability and those College officials deemed necessary to make an appropriate decision.

1. Approval of the Student’s Request

If the student is deemed eligible for accommodation, the Coordinator of Disability Services will discuss with the student accommodations appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances.

Upon final agreement concerning the requested accommodation(s), the student must sign the release on a memo allowing the disability personnel to share confidentially with necessary College personnel information regarding the student’s needs. A memo will be sent to the instructor involved. An Accommodation Request Form must be completed with accommodation(s) noted. The student must meet with the affected faculty member to discuss the accommodations requested and to have the faculty member sign the Accommodation Notification Form. The signed form must be returned to the Coordinator of Disability Services or the Disability Service Coordinator (TRiO Program). The student must also discuss implementation of the requested accommodation(s) with the faculty member. When requested by the student, the student’s academic advisor and/or the Coordinator of Disability Services and/or the Disability Service Coordinator (TRiO program) may assist in this effort. The student must arrange to renew or update the terms of the Memo at the beginning of each semester.

2. Disapproval of the Student’s Request
If the student is deemed ineligible for accommodation(s), or if a requested accommodation is denied, the student will be notified in writing by the Coordinator of Disability Services. The student may then grieve the decision pursuant to the Grievance Procedure in Section III.

C. Role of Instructors and Staff
Faculty and staff are situated to play an important role in this process. They are encouraged to refer to the Coordinator of Disability Services and/or the Disability Service Coordinator (TRiO Program) students who disclose a disability or who request an accommodation. Faculty and staff will be asked to participate in identifying and assessing possible accommodations. faculty shall keep confidential all such information regarding the student, and shall implement the accommodation(s) deemed reasonable by the College President/Academic Dean.

III. GREIVANCE PROCEDURE
The following grievance procedure must be used by a student for complaints regarding claims of disability and requests for accommodation.

A. Contents of the Grievance
The grievance must be in writing and contain the name, address, and telephone number of the student, the location, date, and description of the complaint. Alternative means of grieving such as personal interview or tape recording are available upon request, if required by the nature of a disability.

B. Filing the Grievance
The student or a representative must submit the grievance to the ADA Compliance Officer as soon as possible and no later than twenty (20) calendar days after the alleged violation. The current ADA Compliance Officer, John Delile, may be contacted at Kennebec Valley Community College, at (207) 452-5123. His office is located in the Frye Building.

C. Officer’s Decision
As soon as practical after receipt of the grievance, the ADA Compliance Office will meet with the student to discuss the complaint. As soon as practical after the meeting, the Officer will respond in a format accessible to the student (such as large print, Braille, or audio tape). The response will explain the position of the College, and/or offer options for resolution.

D. Student Appeal to College President
Within fifteen (15) calendar days after receiving the ADA Compliance Officer’s decision, the student may appeal to the College President or designee.

E. Decision of the College President
As soon as practical after the receipt of the appeal, the College President or designee will meet with the student to discuss the appeal. As soon as practical after the meeting, the College president or designee will issue in a format accessible to the student a final decision regarding the grievance.

F. Record Retention
The College will retain all grievances, appeals, and responses in the above procedure for at least three (3) years.

IV. DISTRIBUTION
This Policy and Procedure shall be distributed to all employees and added to the student and Faculty/Campus Handbooks. The Grievance Procedure shall be posted in conspicuous locations throughout the campus and posted on the College’s website.

V. DISABILITY PERSONNEL
Following is the contact information for appropriate personnel:

• Linda Clutterbuck, Director of the Marden Center
Coordinator of Disability Services
Marden Center, 130 King Hall, 453-5084

• Michelle Bardsley, Disability Services Coordinator, Trio Program
Room 130, King Hall, 453-5017

• John Delile, ADA Compliance Officer
Frye Building, 453-5123